Contra dancing is a joyful, energetic community dance for all ages. We dance to live music – fiddles, guitar, accordions, and more – and talented callers guide us through dance formations. Check out our Schedule page or subscribe to our email newsletter for upcoming dances.
Beginners are very welcome – all dances are taught and no partner or previous experience needed – just bring your smile!
“It was [a] very friendly atmosphere. The instructions were good. The music was fantastic!” “Very welcoming.”
Contra dances take place twice a month on 1st and 3rd Saturday evenings, September through June each season (no dances in July and August).
*** Our dances now start at 7:30 PM! ***
Doors open at 6:30 PM
Introductory lesson 7:00-7:30 PM (highly recommended for new participants)
Dance 7:30-10:30 PM
Location: Churchill Recreation Centre, 345 Richmond Road, Ottawa (see our Location page)
Our next two dances…
- March 21st, 2026 @ 7:30 PM – Our first dance starting at 7:30 PM!
- Band: JET (James Stephens, Emily Addison & Tim Cutts)
Caller: Peter Simonyi - April 11th, 2026 – The second Saturday of the month.
- Band: JET (James Stephens, Emily Addison & Tim Cutts)
Caller: Rachel Ameen
We have only one dance in April, but our friends in Montreal are hosting a dance weekend: Bonjour-Hey. - More upcoming dances…
- See Schedule for more upcoming dances, prices, and more info.
Masks are optional. Please stay home if you’re sick. See our full list of health measures here.
Hey Fever!
We host our own Dance Weekend, Hey Fever!, Oct 30th to Nov 1st, 2026. It’s a blast!
Newsletter
To stay informed, if you are not already subscribed to our Newsletter, please sign up for our emails here.
